Thursday, September 06, 2007

Though I have my rocker moments (you should see what I listen to when I'm doing my Friday cleaning) there's a time when I want to slow down and take things a little easier. Maybe I'm getting old but here's a list of my favorites from my lengthy "easy listening" playlist--and don't worry I'm not quite to the "Carpenters-and-Manilow Phase" yet.

1. "River" by Sarah McLachlan. Every time Andrew hears me listening to this beautiful ballad he points out that "It's a Christmas song!" but that hasn't stopped me from listening to it for the past eight months. So what? It's not as if it's got Jingle Bells going in the background. Oh, well, maybe it does now that I think about it. Who cares, it's wonderful--and it's sad, what's Christmasy about that?

2. "Constellations" by Jack Johnson. Ever since his Curious George gig Jack Johnson's been on the radar but I was listening to this long before--it really gives the flavor of his Maui roots which I find so tasty. He has an acoustic version but this one is better.

3. "Someone to Watch over Me" by Ella Fitzgerald. Only Ella can do justice to the Gershwins' famous song. There are many versions but only one Ella. If you want to hear the song done right, this is the one.

4. "I Know You By Heart" by Eva Cassidy. I enjoy Eva's voice and have several of her CDs, but this one is her best, her absolute best. It's sad, it's haunting, it's that sound that Eva is famous for and I savor every note--the violins and her voice.

5. "With or Without You" by U2. My obligatory U2 song, can't have a music list without U2. This song came out in the 80s when I was in high school--the first time I ever heard a U2 song I was coming back from an afternoon of research at the UAA library, it was "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"--but I still love it. Next to Sting's "Every Breath You Take" it could win the title of "Best Ballad Ever Written."

6. "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss. I'm not into country or much folk music but Alison Krauss' voice is enough to overcome all my objections. I love this song, it couldn't be more romantic and Rowan Keating's version isn't bad either, it's just not as good as this one.

7. "All At Sea" by Jamie Cullum. Not a well-known song or artist, in fact it was one I got for free from itunes as one of their weekly freebies but it's a great song. Go look it up and see what you think.

8. "Annie's Song" by John Denver. Yes, yes, I know it's cliche and is the #1 song most likely to be sung at a wedding--I think it's in the Guiness Book of World Records or something under Most Weddings--but it's still a beauty of a ballad. Romantic, lyrical, what more do you need? You know you like it too.

9. "Down to The River to Pray" by Allison Krauss. After saying I didn't like country I'm sure putting a lot of country songs on this list but this one is from the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack and it represents the beauty of southern American folk and gospel music. It's a cappella and needs nothing to accompany it.

10. "As Time Goes By" by Rod Stewart and Queen Latifah. That you read that right, Rod Stewart and Queen Latifah. Did you notice when Rod Stewart made an album full of classic American songs such as this? It was so successful he made three more--I have three of the four albums and they're all fabulous though I have never been a Rod Stewart fan. This version of an American classic is perfect: it's lilting but playful and Queen Latifah's voice adds a classy touch.

11. "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" by Louis Armstrong. Satchmo has some amazing songs but this is his best and my favorite. "Give me your lips for just one moment and my imagination will make that moment live . . . give me what you alone can give . . . a kiss to build a dream on . . ." It's everything a song should be.

12. "Misty" by Errol Garner. An instrumental classic that makes the piano into a paint brush, painting with each note the rippling beauty of a running stream. As with other songs on this list there are other versions of this piece but only one Errol Garner.

13. "Shoot the Moon" by Norah Jones. I love her music, have her three CDs and this is probably my favorite of her songs though it's hard to choose. I had to have her on the list at some point.

Honorable mentions: Dean Martin's "Buena Sera" if I had to choose my favorite of his. Likewise "Stardust" by Nat King Cole, "Vincent" by Josh Groban (not really a Josh Groban fan but this one I like), "Beyond the Sea" by Frank Sinatra, and "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel.

3 and 5.... lovely songs. I'm afraid I don't recognize most of the others. I usually relax well to anything soft and instrumental, but my favorite is my Celtic Whispers CD. I've never found another copy of it since my old one got lost.

Wow; and "Mr. Holland's Opus" was just on. "Rowena" was no Ella but it was still a sweet rendition, a la high school style. (even if she was a little vixen.)

Love Eva Cassidy, love to dance to Eva anything.

Some on the list are not coming to me but I think it has something to do with all those band practices I was hanging out at trying to get the director to make a statement. The show this season is Led Zeppelin so my neurons are clogged with "Stairway to Heaven." (At least it wasn't the Tiny Tim version.)

Fantastic list! I agree wholeheartedly with the Allison Krauss, U2, Ella. For my list, I'd add Tiny Dancer by Elton John and Salsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. Okay, the last one is sorta bouncy, but it makes me reflective.

Oh, and if you like "Annie's Song," mommyk, try "Today" by John Denver (that's MY wedding song; my mom sang it to us a lot when we were little, but it's only available on one version of a live concert, and not even on the CD version).

Michelle if you want a great laid back but great CD get Jack Johnson's "Curious George Soundtrack" He wrote all songs I believe and has a couple friends preform with him, but they are amazing. Curtis and I both love that CD it is one of our favorites. Seriously...buy it...you wont regret it!

Good list! i will have to check out some of the ones I don't know. I'm in an awful stagnant music phase.

But the one date night my husband and I had in the past 6 months was to an Alison Kraus concert! She is awesome every time I see her. And the first time was when she was just a teenager at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival!

Some of my favorite artists I listen to when I want to relax are Alison Krauss, (she has the most beautiful voice ever), Norah Jones, Harry Connick Jr., Sarah McLachlan, Enya (Amarantine and Shepherd Moons are my fav), Iron & Wine (not all their songs are relaxing but there are quite a few).

Just leave me with a couple or ten Errol Garner CDs (our public library is very good for 50s jazz) and I'll be quite happy. And then I'd go for some classical to really relax me e.g. Beethoven's Sixth!

Well depending on how much sun your garden gets and whether you've got moist, rather swampy soil or dry I could recommend a couple things. Also, Alaska Mill and Feed downtown is an excellent source of information. Bells nursery is good for the standard annuals, Forget me Not Nursery in Indian is good for hanging basket and pot stuffers.

A few years ago a friend of mine put together a CD slide show of pictures of my three grandkids, who were just wee ones back then, using Eva Cassidy's "I Know You By Heart" as the sound track. The kids are growing up in a hurry now, but every time I hear that song I see images in my head of their early childhood. It's a magic piece for me!